Call me Puppins. That’s the name they gave me after a car hit me and wiped my brain clean as a whiteboard. I’m a teenager (in human years), and just because I’m a dog doesn’t mean I don’t have a lot of teenage issues.

For example: Why did my “mom” have so many dumb rules? Why was my life in L.A. so boring? Was I forever doomed to be a closet nerd, clueless about girls?

And why did I make so many bad choices, like getting an epic crush on the wrong girl, then running off to live on the streets with her?

I don’t have a lot of answers to those questions, but I do have some other things to think about. For instance: Is it possible for a bunch of stray dogs and cats to take down a dogfight ring? Could they also (with the help of some humans) put a puppy mill out of business? And why is being homeless so harsh, no matter what species you are?

Finally, of course, I have to face the “Big Three” teenage questions:

* Who am I?

* Where do I belong? and

* What’s for dinner?

In my story, you will meet some pretty interesting characters, such as my BB, Oliver, a cat who lives under the house and likes to prank me; Felicity, a small terrier whose disability was caused by an evil puppy mill; Mariah, a runaway greyhound with a secret hideout for lost and abandoned pets; Loofah, a tiny bichon left alone when her homeless owner dies; and Pepito and his flock of wild parakeets, who may or may not be undocumented immigrants. And of course, there’s Ruby. She’s the cool/hot Irish setter who dumped me. Sigh.

The people in my story are a mixed bag too. Including my twenty-something workaholic owner, Kristin. She and the others have a lot of flaws, but mostly I love them anyway.

GONE DOG is my story, and it’s for anyone who loves and cares about animals — especially dogs. And isn’t that everyone?

Author’s Note: Gone DOG is available on Amazon.com and Kindle; reviews on Amazon are greatly appreciated.

Please follow me on Facebook.

Also, Puppins seeks followers on Twitter: /puppinsthelab

Book cover art and design by Laura Wilder; laurawilder.com

The photos below are of woodblocks by artist John W. Golden; johnwgolden.com